Let me tell you about my week…

It started like most weeks, a Troop meeting on Monday night then the rest of the week was all about my youngest son’s High School Graduation from Reynolds High School in Troutdale, Oregon. You may have heard about our little town.
Troutdale sits at the confluence of the Sandy and Columbia rivers. The town was founded back in 1792 by Lt. Broughton and his men. There is a bluff named after him that over looks the town. The City of Troutdale was not incorporated till 1907 though and was a stop on the way to Portland along the rail that made its way through the famous Columbia River Gorge.
We have two Elementary Schools, one Middle School, and one High School in the City of Troutdale. The High School serves a big chunk of East Multnomah County (all the way into Portland) and is the second largest High School in the State of Oregon.
You may have heard of the High Schools fantastic Music program, vocational education, and center for advanced learning. Or maybe you know of Reynolds High School because of its great Arts and Communication Center. It is a state of the art complex. It may be the outstanding athletics of Reynolds High. If you are a part of our community you would know of lots of great things that happen at our High School. Instead you know of a shooting. 5 rounds fired, two students dead, one was the student that did the shooting, one teacher grazed, an entire community in shock.
That’s what you know about our High School.
That was Tuesday.
Wednesday, hair cuts and party preparations for Josh’s graduation.
Thursday, Lunch with the family at a nice Italian place in downtown Troutdale then off to graduation. Very great to watch these young men and women cross over into adulthood with their High School diplomas. I have known so many of these kids since they were toddlers. It is great to see how grown up they are.
Speeches about adversity and learning from life’s hardships, your standard commencement speeches and then off to chaperon the Senior All night Party. A super fun night playing games out at Bull Winkles Fun Center. Had a Ball.
Friday was all about preparations for the big party Saturday. Friday we had a birthday party for my niece.
Saturday the big party. Cooked 85 servings of chicken, all prepared in the dutch ovens and all of the fixings. Great turn out and a fun party.
Sunday (the day of rest) I was awakened by a phone call from my son serving in the Army. Just a father’s day greeting and we talked for an hour. Next hour on the phone with my dad, then off to clean up the last stuff from the party.
A great Fathers day dessert with Dad and family and now time to relax.
Sorry if I didn’t blog this week… You can see why.
What I know for sure.
The media will turn corn flakes into a circus. I will not take anything away from the tragic loss of the families involved in the shooting in school gym. I pray for them and recognize their pain. But enough already with the media looking for a story that is not there. They made the graduation a complete circus and it made a lot of the families there that wanted to celebrate their son or daughters achievement second to an event that no one can do anything about now a circus and they were not pleased. It’s done, over, and hopefully will not happen again.
I will not debate any of the issues that hover around this. I have my opinions and will not turn my blog into that circus.
Thursday was my sons day. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and the results of four great years and a positive High School experience. One shooting will not ruin that for him. Again, not to take anything away from the families, but someone is shot in Portland every day.. never makes the news.
It made out week, a week that was all about the Seniors an emotional roller coaster, but in the end, the Seniors showed that this would not define their high school story. They partied and had an awesome celebration of their lives and their futures. I applaud them for that.
Here was else I know for sure.
Life is short. Hug you kids every day and then hug them some more. Love them and teach them to love. Be an example of Character to your kids. Know who your kids are and share in their lives. You need not be their buddy, you need to be their parent.
Volunteer at the School. Know the School and what your kids do there. Be apart of their education. Teachers can not do it alone.
Help your kids be successful. Know that when they fail they need a hand to get back up.
Have dinner together, even if it’s not at the table.
Talk to your kids, know them, and love them.
What a hell of a week. Glad tomorrow is Monday and we can do it all over again.Have a Great Scouting Day!

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